The Princess of Wales has been out of the public eye since December after “planned” abdominal surgery in January.
William, Prince of Wales, shared a brief update on the former Kate Middleton’s cancer diagnosis.
During a visit to St. Mary’s Community Hospital in the U.K. on May 10, he spoke with a hospital administrator about the health of his wife, Catherine, Princess of Wales.
“I asked William about his wife Kate and he said, ‘She’s doing well, thanks,’” hospital administrator Tracy Smith told reporters, according to the Associated Press.
William, Prince of Wales, shared a brief update on the former Kate Middleton’s cancer diagnosis.
During a visit to St. Mary’s Community Hospital in the U.K. on May 10, he spoke with a hospital administrator about the health of his wife, Catherine, Princess of Wales.
“I asked William about his wife Kate and he said, ‘She’s doing well, thanks,’” hospital administrator Tracy Smith told reporters, according to the Associated Press.
William doesn’t often comment on how his wife is doing since she shared in late March that she was diagnosed with cancer. She’s remained largely out of the public eye since.
Here’s what we know about her cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Kate Middleton’s cancer diagnosis
The princess of Wales said that she was in the “early stages” of preventative chemotherapy after being diagnosed with cancer, she announced March 22, 2024, in a video statement. She did not specify the kind of cancer.
The diagnosis came after Kate underwent major abdominal surgery in January. “At the time, it was thought that my condition was noncancerous,” she said in the video. “The surgery was successful. However, tests after the operation found cancer had been present.”
Kate’s video marked her first address since the abdominal surgery.
Kate added that the news of her cancer diagnosis came as a “huge shock,” noting that she and William were aiming to “manage this privately for the sake of our young family.”
“As you can imagine, this has taken time. It has taken me time to recover from major surgery in order to start my treatment,” she said. “But, most importantly, it has taken us time to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them, and to reassure them that I am going to be OK.”
The princess assured viewers in the video that she is “well and getting stronger every day.” She also asked for “time, space and privacy” as she undergoes treatment and said she is focused on making a “full recovery.”
Kate is the second member of the royal family to face significant health issues this year.
Buckingham Palace announced Feb. 5 that King Charles III was diagnosed with cancer after undergoing a procedure for benign prostate enlargement. The palace did not specify what kind of cancer but clarified it was not prostate cancer.
Kate Middleton’s abdominal surgery
On Jan. 16, 2024, Kate underwent a planned abdominal surgery.
In the statement, released the following day, Kensington Palace wrote: “The surgery was successful and it is expected that she will remain in hospital for ten to fourteen days, before returning home to continue her recovery. Based on the current medical advice, she is unlikely to return to public duties until after Easter.”
The statement went on to say that it would only provide updates that were “significant” and to apologize on behalf of the princess, who had to postpone all upcoming engagements.
Catherine returned home to Windsor to continue to recover on Jan. 29, according to a palace statement, which added, “She is making good progress.”
At the time, a palace source told NBC News that she was expected to be recuperating for two to three months following the surgery.
“She looks forward to reinstating as many as possible, as soon as possible,” the statement said.
A Kensington Palace source told NBC News in mid-January that William would be postponing appearances in the coming months and not conduct any official duties while his wife was in the hospital or immediately after she returned home.
For weeks after the surgery and before her cancer diagnosis was revealed, speculation, rumors and conspiracies theories swirled around the wellbeing of the future queen.
The palace has yet to reveal what the abdominal surgery was meant to address.
What type of cancer does Kate Middleton have?
In her video statement, the princess did not specify what kind of cancer she is undergoing treatment for. She shared that it was discovered after an abdominal surgery in January.
The most common types of cancer discovered through abdominal surgery are gastrointestinal, such as colon or stomach, or genital or urinary, Dr. Ben Ho Park, director of precision oncology at Vanderbilt School of Medicine, tells TODAY.com. He was sure to point out, however, that “it could be anything.”